Wondrous Strange
by Persephone999
Summary: An alternate Twilight in which Jessica is our heroine. Because, let's be honest, Jessica is just generally more interesting and relatable than Isabella Swan. Rated T for safety.
1. Preface

A/N: Please forgive the shortness of the preface. I know it's atrociously small.

Full Disclaimer: I own nothing recognisable from canon, which belongs to Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. I gain no profit or benefit from this story but the joy of writing it.

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><p><span>Preface<span>

Fine, I was dumb to think I could steal from Heaven without any backlash, but I'd hoped I'd get away with it for a little longer.

Shaking, sobbing, shivering at the mercy of the monster in front of me, it would have been easy to wish nothing had ever happened. Normal, natural. But I couldn't. Don't ask me why- I don't think even God knows that- but I couldn't regret him and me, me and him, any more than being born. I regretted nothing. I took nothing back. And I guess that made me a moron.

But what difference would it have made, anyway? My knees sank in the dirt. The woman's nails sank into my shoulder, holding me down. Her faces distorted by the firelight, the she-devil smiled at me, an apologetic twist of the lip as though it was meant to help that this was nothing personal. It didn't. Controlling themselves, that might have helped. Or having a damn thought about anyone else. Then they wouldn't have needed my blood, or the blood of Jane Emily Jones.

And since that was out of the question, I would have to do.

The first drop of blood shattered against the dirt- the first of many. Too many. Would dying hurt so much? Or would it be a different sort of pain? Would it be better than what was about to happen? Could it possibly be worse? As the flames crackled behind me, snickering at my frightened face as they waited to be fed, I couldn't imagine it.

Without a word, the beast's blade bit into me, not hearing or caring about my sobs.

Oh God oh God oh G-


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you, Edrose, for reminding me about this.

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

It all began on a dark, stormy night.

I'm talking crap, it didn't. It started in September, on an amazingly average Thursday to an amazingly average girl who, like many seventeen year olds, chatted to her friend about boys and shoes and make up. Other things, too, but that day the topic was boys.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Lauren asked, gazing across the room. Her tone was dreamy- the candy-kiss voice we all use for that first boy.  
>"Not my cup of tea," I admitted, but I glanced over anyway to do a quick analysis; tanned, brown hair, muscular, but a bit too tall for me- Lauren would have been fine, but I'd have needed a ladder.<p>

I turned to see Lauren fiddling with a stray tendril of saffron hair.  
>"Ask him somewhere," I suggested. Snapping out of her daydream, she looked at me like I'd suggested she ran over to him naked with a rose between her teeth. "Try it," I went on, watching her go red from head to toe, I kept talking. "Just walk over and ask."<br>"You can't be serious,"  
>"I am," I said earnestly. "He's not going to bite your head your head off,"<br>"But he might say 'No', though. And in front of _everyone_!"  
>"Or he could say 'Yes'. Ask him in the parking lot or something if you don't want to do it in front of everyone, but it won't hurt,"<br>"But-"  
>"But what? I'm sure Tyler knows a gorgeous girl when he sees one. If he's not interested then plenty of other boys will be," I pointed out. It was true. Sunny-haired and sunny-hearted, Lauren had no problem turning heads. "Angela, will you please back me up on this? What do you think?"<br>"Um..." My quieter friend pushed her blue-rimmed glasses back up to the bridge of her nose. Her pencil was tucked behind her ear- she must have had Art before lunch.  
>"Don't drag Ange into it!" Lauren cut in, half-giggling.<br>"Well stop being a big baby about it. Do you like Tyler or not?_"  
><em>"Well, yeah,"  
>"Then why not give it a shot?"<br>"Well... I just can't. It's easy for you," she mumbled, eyes staring out at the cotton-soft clouds.  
>"Why? 'Cause I'm gorgeous?" I teased.<br>"Because you wouldn't know normality if it whacked you over the head with a frying."

Charming girl, Lauren. Furrowing my brow, I rummaged about for a good comeback. No such luck.  
>"Alright, fine, I haven't really got an answer for that, but I stand by what I just said," I persisted.<br>"But what if it makes things awkward?"  
>"It won't. Me and Mike were fine, weren't we?" I coaxed. She chewed her lip in silence, glancing down at her untouched sandwich. "Just stand up and do it. It's not that hard." I smiled.<p>

Looking at me, she raised her eyebrows, a dash of mischief twinkling in her eyes.  
>"So you wouldn't mind doing it, then?" This is the moment I should have backed down, should have stopped meddling with Lauren's lack of love-life. But I didn't, because I was seventeen, I was cocky, and I was a deep-fried, hard-boiled, ten-carot idiot.<br>"Sure. In fact," I said, apparently not having dug myself in deep enough, "go ahead and pick someone. Right now," Even before I saw Angela's jaw clank against the table, I knew I'd made a mistake.  
>"Nothing good can come from this," I heard her mutter.<br>"Are you sure?" she nudged, a faint smirk slipping over her face.  
>"Yeah... Completely,"<p>

Grinning like an imp, Lauren lifted a finger to point. Her green eyes scanned the room. A soccer player, perhaps? A nerd? An ex or an enemy or a girl? No, that won't do, laughed the devil on her shoulder. It had to be someone who'd be such a bad match that I'd chicken out at let her admire from a safe distance. Finally, she stretched her arm out and pointed, barely able to contain the giggles. She'd found him: that perfect prospective boyfriend to make me back out and shut up.

"Him,"

Following her finger, I wanted to grab my words back and rip them up. Even as I looked at the boy she'd chosen, I could hear myself getting laughed out of the cafeteria. Maybe this wasn't a good idea... No. With a deep breath I stood up, pulled my shoulders back and took a step forward, beginning my perilous journey over to his table. I paused, looked back at Lauren, raised an eyebrow._ I'm will do it, _I told her without words_. I swear I'll do it, so if I were you, I'd take the dare back before I do it, or else you'll have to ask Tyler out._

She didn't take the dare back- she was going to call my bluff. My choice was clear: either stand up and get on with it, or never nag her again. About anything. If I did then all she'd have to is say, Well you wouldn't do it, and I'd have to shut up.

I sped over, ready to babble out my request before I could take it back.

"Hi," I smiled, trying to maintain my bravado.

Lauren's choice looked up at me with an odd expression, his eyebrows raised in the way that made him look startled, but also inquisitive. He wasn't going to bite my head off. Or so I hoped. He had weird eyes, I noticed- gold, like toffee pennies. Those eyes scrutinised me, as though to say, _What is this mere mortal doing over here?_

Edward Cullen. It had to be Edward Cullen.

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><p>I know, it took forever. Forgive me?<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

I'm sorry I took so long with this and that it's so short but I've barely had a second to myself of late. I'll try to update this soon if I possibly can- at least once before Christmas if I can.

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

He told me later that I'd terrified him, though he didn't look scared at the time. Instead, his expression seemed more indignant. Raised eyebrows, thin lipped: _Who the hell are you and why are you bothering me?_ I heard him thinking along those lines. After all, I had my friends and he had his family. The two didn't mix, though there was no bad feeling. We'd probably have been great friends if there hadn't been so much emotional barbed wire. Well, maybe.

"May I help you?" he asked. His voice was a hoarse whisper, quick like sand as it slips through your fingers.

Smoothing my red jumper out, I glanced around quickly to look back at my friends. Her face a flurry of horror and surprise, Lauren leaned forward, mouthing something I couldn't hear over the chatter. Angela leaned forward, cheek in hand, propped up by her elbow. Her rosy mouth was open slightly. A table away, Mike had turned around to look, holding his sandwich up mid-bite. People were starting to look. Trying to smile, I nodded to the Cullen boy. Had the room been that quiet a few seconds ago?

"Yeah, actually," I said breezily. If I'd had my hair down, I could have wound my hair around my fingers. I'd have looked more casual that way, less bothered what he said. "I was wondering if you were free Satur-"

"No!" At the shout, the room became totally still. Staring at him, I tried to think of the right thing to say. Normally if a boy wasn't interested, he'd say he was busy, or at least turn you down quietly. Realising how loudly he'd spoken, he glanced down at the red apple on his tray. "I meant to say..."

"It's fine," I lied. Raising my eyebrows, I stepped back and brushed imaginary specks off my jumper in an attempt to keep some dignity. _No need to shout, I only asked._ "Bye." Without another word, I darted straight back to my table and sat down, picking my fork up as though nothing had happened.

"I'm really sorry, Jess," Lauren said sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd actually-"

"It's okay."

"No it's not. Is there anything I can do?"

"There's no need," I glanced up at her and smiled. Knowing Lauren, I'd be hearing apologies until Christmas. "Tell you what, if you really want to help, then Tyler's over there. You know what to do."

Accepting her penance, she nodded.

"I'll ask him some time this week." she replied.

"You'll ask him tommorrow."

"Bossy." She stuck her bottom lip out like a six year-old, then relented. "Fine, tommorrow. Will you please bring some donuts in so I have some consolation when he turns me down?"

"I'll make some to celebrate with," Angela offered, pulling the pencil from behind her ear to write down a reminder.

"How many times? He _won't_," I promised. "He'll only say no if you keep pouting." I added with a little chuckle. See? Not bothered by the stinking Cullen boy. Not. Bothered. At all. In fact, had it not been for two odd incidents a few days on, he'd never have passed my mind again.

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><p>The chapters will hopefully get a bit bigger as the story progresses. Questions for anyone who has time to answer them:<p>

1) What are your opinions of Jessica and Lauren so far?

2) Who or what would you like to see more of?

3) I'm going to bring Bella in soon. Any thoughts?


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
><span>

Dramatically dropping to the floor, Angela sobbed into the carpet.

'Oh God! I can't believe I was so stupid! I - I did this! Oh God, I'm so sorry!'

Staring at her, I leaned forward and slowly stood up. Hell. Catching her breath, Angela looked over at Lauren. A tear still stuck to her cheek. _Jesus!_

'How was that?' Lauren and I looked at each other and nodded.

'You're gonna get the part,' I told her with a laugh. 'If they've got any kind of brain stem between them, you'll give you the part.'

'She's right, Angie,' Lauren chipped in. 'That was really good. It's kind of scary how into it you get.'

A hot blush hit Angie's sunset skin like two red clouds. 'Sorry.' 'No, no, it's a good thing! I'd give you the part. Because you're good, I mean, not because you're my friend. I mean that too, but...'

'I know,' she smiled. 'Is there anything I can do to improve it?'

'Not really,' I replied. 'Uh... take your glasses off for the audition? They're kind of foggy when you do that.'

'Plus they might fall off if you throw yourself down like that,' Lauren added, twirling a bit of blonde hair between her fingers. 'Are you okay? That fall sounded like it hurt.'

'I'm okay, thanks. What about the line, was it clear enough? Sometimes I mumble.'

'I heard you fine. Jess?'

'Sounded good to me. Besides, you have to get it.'

'Why?'

'Because then Tyler can take Lauren to the play for their first date.'

'Jessica!' She looked at me as though I'd suggested a human sacrifice.

'It's just a suggestion. It'll give you something to talk about,' I pointed out.

'I don't think he's into plays.'

'Then he'll tell you.'

'What if says no?'

'What if he does? You're not having any less hot, sweaty make-out sessions with him.'

'Jess!'

'Come on, that's one of the best parts!'

Chuckling, Angela polished her glasses with the sleeve of her blue jumper, shaking her head at Lauren. 'You know she's not going to stop until you do it, don't you?'

'She's right, Lauren, I won't. And keep laughing, Angie, you're next.'

'Oh God...' She dropped her head. Laughing, I patted Lauren on the back.

'They're not that scary. I did it, didn't I?'

'Yeah, and got turned down flat.' She clapped a hand over her mouth. 'Crap, that wasn't meant to come out. I'm sorry, Jess.'

Pulling my arm back I shrugged.

'Nah. Who'd want Edward Cullen anyway? He just stares at people like they're peas that got up, wandered off his plate and made a community,' I replied, smiling. Just to clarify, I was absolutely not interested in him. Did I mention that?

'It was still a bit mean, the way he just dropped it on you. And rude.'

'Exactly. He's rude, that's one more reason I'm glad he said no,' I muttered, glancing out the window. 'Hey, what's that out there?'


	5. Chapter 4

Hello,

A few people have showed interest in this story, with a few people even asking me to put up new chapters. This one isn't really a priority, but I do try to write more if I know people are waiting on a story so here's a new chapter for you. There's a bit more action here, but I hope you like it. Thank you to everyone who messaged me asking after this story, reviewed, subscribed or favourited. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter, even if it's a little rough.

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><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

Before I even start this chapter I want to say that I am definitely, absolutely, I-swear-on-Granma's-grave not crazy. At all. I mean, okay, sometimes I do dumb stuff and say weird things. Sometimes I wear stupid stuff because it was on sale and I eat tomatoes like they're apples, but that's going off topic. Long story short, I'm sane. Honest. And even if I was a bit loop-de-loop, Angela and Lauren weren't and they saw all this too.

"Can you hear that?"

"What?" Lauren asked, turning her head to the window.

"I hope that's not the cat fighting your dog again, Jess," Angela added.

"If it is, he's in trouble." Pushing myself up off the bed I yanked the door open and darted to the staircase; my foot hit something soft and I felt myself lurch forward, the steps seconds away from my face when my palm hit the bannister. Gasping, I pulled myself back and glanced at the thing I'd tripped over.

"Rawrlsk!"

"Damnit Frank!" I groaned, steadying myself. "Do you _have_ to sit on the top step?"

Being a cat and an asshole, Frank glanced back at me contemptuously like I was a roll of spit and hair he'd just coughed up. Silently, he dragged his tongue along his paw for a minute then slunk past me to Angela's bedroom, rubbing against her legs. She scratched behind his ear.

"Why did you yell?"

"Because the cat got under my feet -" I heard Lauren snigger. "- which that sicko finds funny."

"You'd laugh at me. Anyway, you trip over him every single time."

"I do not!"

"You do."

I threw Angela a glance of desperation.

"In fairness, you do trip over my cat quite a lot," she admitted. _Traitor_.

"But - "

A shriek from the front door cut me off. Someone was jabbing the doorbell till it squealed. Without a word, Angela nudged past me and opened the door.

"Can I help - "

"Let me in! Please let me in, let me in!"

"What's - "

I crept to the bottom of the wtaircase in time to see awoman launched herself through the door, her sobs muffled by her hands and her red hair. Her voice was as quiet as trickling water. I only caught a little bit of what she was saying: Help him, help him. When I looked out the door towards the forest, I realised what she meant.

The wolf was huge, even from twenty feet away - a snarling, shuddering mass of black fur with a ribbon a spit dangling from the side of its open mouth. Its eyes were fixed on two young men who stared at it, still and silent. Why weren't they moving? _Run!_ I wanted to scream at them. _Don't just stand there, run! _But they were speaking to it... _goading_ it, almost. They spoke in low voices and... I swear I'm sane, but it sounded almost like the wolf talked back when it growled. It rowled so strangely that I didn't notice Lauren was downstairs until I heard her whisper.

"What the - I'll be right back. Call nine one one."

"Call nine one one," I breathed as I backed down the hallway, never taking my eyes off the wolf. It was crouching now, readying itself for something. The red-haired woman was screaming, clutching at Angela for protection. My fingers were trembling so much it took two tries to get the number right and even then I almost dropped it.

"Emergency services. What is the nature of your emergency?"

"I - " There was a thud upstairs. "Wolf. Outside the house. It's attacking two men."

"Ma'am, calm down. What's the address."

"It's - " The animal flung itself across the air and slammed down into the earth, knocking one of the men down and pinning him beneath it. "Just send everything pleasejusthurry!"

"Jess, move!" Jerking back, I looked down and realised what Lauren had went upstairs for. A handgun gleamed in her grip as she charged to the doorway.

"Where did you find that?"

"Not _now_." From the hallway she pulled her arms straight and stared hard. Her green eyes crystalised to jade with determination as she aimed. Her finger trembled against the trigger.

Bang.

The wolf looked up for a second, and that was enough. The next second it was on the ground, straddled by one of the men. He wasn't a big guy; shortish, normal-looking, blond or light brown hair in the dark. He looked kind of like my maths teacher. His friend, at least, looked strong; taller with a rich mahogany voice as he drawled at the animal. Another shot pierced the air. I don't think Lauren meant to shoot, but if she did her aim was terrible. She didn't hit the wolf. She hit _him_. And... And he barely even looked up. You know when you flick a rubber band at someone and it hits them and just drops? The bullet didn't even graze him, it just hit him and zoomed back off his arm into the black air. He glanced past us for a second, to the woman and he mouthed something. The next thing I heard was a yelp as she flung Angela across the room and strode towards Lauren and swiped at the gun. In the distance I would of heard sirens if I hadn't been screaming. Angela was splayed across the rug, the blood pooling on her temple like a red flower in her hair. The red-haired woman - a tear still sitting on her cheek - had her hands around Lauren's wrists, smiling as she dragged her along to the living room, her eyes black and cruel. Who was I meant to go to? The wolf threw a glance at me, pleading, whimpering and weirdly human, and suddenly I wondered if maybe it was as scared of these people as I was.

"Lauren are you - "

"Jess, move Angela."

The car! I glanced at the keys in the bowl. Which one was for the car? Grabbing a fistful of keys and hoping for the best, I turned to look at Angela. She was tall, she'd be heavy, but I could try. Maybe I could wake her up.

"Angie, I need you to get up," I babbled uselessly, flinging her hands around me as I pulled her up. A few times I almost dropped her, but thankfully I didn't. Hoisting her up I dragged along to the window. Front door was a no-go - if by some miracle I got past the woman I still had to worry about the two guys and the wolf. Back door? Back door. Pulling Angela along with what little strength I had I got her out of the house. Her head began to sway a bit.

"Jess?"

"Get in the car," I whispered. "I'll - " Oh God. When I thought it couldn't get worse I heard footsteps behind me. Shitshitshitshitshit. With the last of my strength I shoved Angela across the front seats and slammed the door as a cool hand grabbed my shoulder.

"Stop screaming!"

"Please don't kill me, I won't..." His face clicked into my memory. Toffee penny eyes. Brown hair. "Edward? What are you?"

"Where are they?" he asked me, his voice tense. I thought of violin strings. "Where are they?"

"Out the front," I managed. "They've got Lauren."

"Wait here."

"What!?" Did he seriously think I was going to _wait_ anywhere? Then he said something really weird.

"Angela's going to be fine, the ambulance won't be much longer. Just stay here and try and keep quiet." Before I could reply he darted through the house. I heard something smash and shot through myself. Lauren! Oh God, if they hurt her...

Before I could get through I collided with something warm and soft that clasped its arms around me - and for a second I thought that that woman had killed Lauren and was going to kill me too. Luckily her hair was yellow, not redder than bloodstained gold.

"Are you hurt?"

"No. Where's Angela?"

"The car. If we go now we can drive away. They can't keep up on foot."

"We hope," she winced. "It's the red key chain."

"I've got it. I'll drive."

"I'll open the garage."

"What about Edward?"

"What?"

"They'll kill him!"

"When did he get here?"

"I don't... Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"It's gone quiet... Go get the garage open."

With a nod she slipped back out as I paused in the hall, half-way between hell and high water. The doors were still open: outside the wolf was gone. Instead four people stood there; the two men from before, Edward and _her_. There was no screaming. No blood. No anything. Just words, quiet words as I crept along the hallway with a deathwish in every step as their voices slithered through the air to me.

"You know these are our boarders and you know there are wolves here."

"What happened to the agreement?"

"What agreement?"

"Hospitality, boy. My home is your home. My food is your food."

"The animals," Edward said. There was something in his voice I couldn't place, an odd lack of fear. "The animals are yours."

"They're animals too."

"They're people. They're us."

"They were us."

"We've told you to leave them be. Go somewhere else if you don't like it."

"Oh come on," the woman smiled. "Your problem is you think you're still like them. You don't understand yourself at all. Anyway, we'd have been careful. No one would have known."

"Really? You don't think that three dead teenagers would have raised _any_ eyebrows?"

"Three dead teenagers and a gun," the woman corrected.

"She's right," the stronger man drawled. "It's the great American pastime. A few news reporters would have cried on air and then things would have gone back to normal."

"Not for those girls."

"Would you rather we kept them?"

"I'd rather you left them alone! If I see you anywhere near again I'll - "

"Don't worry," said a new voice. The man who'd wrestled the wolf smiled and eyed Edward. "You won't see us." He looked down the hallway straight at me. Retreating into the forest, he smiled at me as the ambulance sirens howled. His eyes looked darker than if they'd been singed by the flames of Hell.

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><p>Right, now the next chapter is probably going to be a lot of obligatory stuff(namely dealing with the fact that, while I know you guys would probably like to get on with the romance, we do have a 911 call and a semi-conscious Angela to sort out first). Within the next three chapters I'm probably going to introduce Bella to the mix. These are questions on how I can make this next chapter as fun for you as possible.<p>

1) I've given a fair bit of character shaping to the girls of the group. How much exploration do you want of the boys?

2) What was your impression of the little dialogue at the end.

3) What do you think is going to happen next?

4) What did you think of the girls' reactions to the attack?


	6. Chapter 5

Hello again. Seeing as I'm currently in the library at 2 in the morning and can't leave for another 2 hours, I decided I'd write up another chapter for Wondrous Strange to kill a little bit of time. Again, this one is mainly dealing with some mandatory stuff that I couldn't really not include yet still managed to take up a noticable amount of space. The next chapter is probably going to be a bit more of a progression story-wise if all goes according to plan. Originally this chapter was going to be a bit longer, but I decided that really I would rather have each chapter close to the 1500 point simply because I think that's the amount I can generally write without getting tedious and the amount I can generally read on a screen before my eyes get sore and I start zoning out - something I'd prefer not to happen for all of you. Anyway, without further ado, here's the next chapter and I hope you like it.

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><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

Lauren went with Angela in the ambulance, squeezing her hand all the way. In a way, I was glad that Angela would be on her own when she woke up even if it left me on my own. Well, not totally on my own.

"Jessica," Officer Swan said gently as he sat down beside me. "I need you to answer some questions." As he spoke he pushed a polystyrene cup across the table. Something about his expression reminded me of how my dad looked when he came home from a bad day at work - a day when he'd had to put something down. Did I really look that pitiful? I took the cup.

"I think so." Taking a sip, I tried to forget I didn't really like tea and something about the sharp, earthy taste sent a bolt through my body. The phone call. I'd said there was a wolf. I'd told them that someone was getting attacked by a wolf...

There's a word for that kind of situation, and I couldn't use it because my mom was sat next to me with her hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Jessica," she soothed. "Just answer what you can."

Officer Swan glanced swung between me and Mom as he produced a notepad.

"Let's try and get as much as we can. So you were at the Weber residence with your friends."

"Yeah, me and Lauren and Angela."

"What about Edward Cullen?"

"What about him?" It took me less than a second to realise my mistake. "Oh, he was just passing by, I think."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I see," he frowned. "About what time did you hear a disturbance?" Great, an easy question.

"I think... nine? Nine thirty? Somewhere around that. It was past dark when Angela went to the door."

"Angela went to the door. So when did you come downstairs?"

"Maybe five minutes after. I think Lauren came down a little while after me."

He scribbled something down on the notepad; his handwriting was terrible. When he looked up he asked another question: "So what did you see when you got to the doorway?"

I winced, curling my hands around the cup. I could either look like I was lying or look like I was crazy. Which of those was worse?

"There was a woman," I said. "She was crying and yelling about a wolf. She said it was hurting her boyfriend."

"So she made the call?"

"No. No, I did," I said quietly. "Angela let the woman in and tried to calm her down. And I went to the doorway and - " I clenched everything and shut my mouth for a second. My tongue suddenly felt weird, like I'd tried to drink a glassful of live wasps. How was I supposed to explain? Watching that man fight a wolf and bounce bullets off his skin was barely something that barely felt believable in a b-movie horror. It sure as hell wasn't going to fit a police statement.

"And then what?" asked Officer Swan expectantly.

When I was younger I overheard someone say that the best lies are mostly truth. With a deep breath I started testing that theory.

"And there wasn't any wolf. There were two men outside. I heard a noise in the living room and when I went in there Angela was on the floor, bleeding, and that woman was standing over her. She grabbed Lauren by the wrists and started dragging her... I think she wanted to know where the valuable things were." Bracing myself I snatched a glance at the detectives's reflection: calm, accepting. Was I getting away with it? "I'm not sure what happened next... I went to try and get Angela because she was bleeding. I thought I could get her in the car and drive her to the hospital. As I was doing that, Lauren got away. I think she distracted her. But she ran upstairs and the woman came over to me trying to get me to say where the valuable stuff was. She said..." I paused, trying to think. "She said that if we made any trouble or tried to get away they'd kill us. Then I heard a gunshot. Then I heard the men yell at the woman to get out... I don't know, I think they heard the police cars... and they got out and then you showed up." As I tried to steady myself I realised how strange I sounded: void, almost, robotic, like I was describing a movie. What if he thought I was lying?

Officer Swan's pen lifted off the page.

"Do you know who fired the gun?"

I tried to think. I had to say as much of the truth as I could, and for this to make sense I had to try to guess what Lauren would say. They'd have her fingerprints on the gun. It wasn't illegal, right? She hadn't done anything wrong, not really. Nobody got hurt because of what she did. Would Lauren hide it?

"I don't know," I insisted. "I was trying to help Angela, I didn't really see much else. I can't even really remember what they looked like."

"Are you sure?" He put the pen down and leaned forward. "Jessica, anything you can tell us about them, whatever it is, would really help." As I lowered my head and stared into the brown swirling liquid in my cup, I tried to think. What if they showed up again?

"Jessica?" I heard my mother coax. "You're doing fine."

"I'm not sure... I think the woman had red hair, but I didn't really see the two guys. It was too dark. Is Angela okay?" I asked. Crap, what if Angela was really hurt? She hadn't been bleeding that much, it was just that she looked so fragile I was scared she'd crack. What if they'd killed her? Oh God...

"Doctor Cullen said she should be okay," he replied, smiling reassuringly as the panic flew out of me. "They're going to keep her in overnight just in case. If you remember anything else, then I want you to come in or call this number. Can you do that?"

"Sure."

"You've helped us a lot," Officer Swan said, glancing at my mother. "Mrs Stanley, I think that's enough for now. Your daughter looks like she should probably get home and sleep."

"Of course," my mom replied, leading me to the doorway and to our car. "Jess?"

"Yeah?" I asked, clicking my seatbelt into place.

"Do you want to go somewhere and talk?" Her sentence was punctuated by her fingers tapping on the steering wheel.

"Honestly? I'd rather not. If I talk about it I'll have to think about it. Maybe another time."

"Okay... Are you okay?"

"I'll be okay in a few hours," I replied.

"Sounds about right... Do you want some ice cream?"

"Really? Right now?" I asked. So now Mom was going weird on me too. "What about healthy eating and your diet and all that?"

"Well, I think just this once we can forget it," she smiled weakly. "And tomorrow you can invite Lauren over for the night."

"Tomorrow's a school night."

"So?" The glowing traffic lights gave her face an artificial blush as she threw me a kind glance. A smile. She wanted me to smile at her. She wanted to know I was okay.

"Well when you put it like that," I replied, "then we better go get some cake too. If we don't have to eat healthy stuff tonight then I'd better make the most of it."

"Okay then, we'll get some chocolate and some soda and if we still have teeth tomorrow we can consider tonight a failure."

Giggling, I felt the nerves in my stomach hollow out a little. Mom always knew how to cheer me up. We sat up and talked about other stuff for the most part until two am, and by the next afternoon things were almost normal as Mom's voice floated up the staircase.

"JEEEEESSSSSSS! WAKE UP!"

"Urgh..."

"JESS-ICK-AHHH!"

"No," I groaned.

"Isaac, go wake your sister up!"

"Noooo." Grabbing the pillow I pulled it over my head for protection. "Anything but - "

"Get up, Jess," I heard an annoying, squeaky little voice say as a little fist pummelled my shoulder. "Up up up, or I'll get you a glass of water!" Now, that would've sounded sweet from anyone else, but since I knew Isaac had something less pleasant in mind, I found the willpower to lift my head from the mattress.

"You wouldn't - "

"Okay then!" Hearing him dash out of the room to the bathroom, the rush of water told me that resistance was futile. So, gazing longingly at my pillow I dragged myself up and forced myself down the staircase.

"What is it, Mom? Can't I sleep in a bit on a Sunday?"

"It's almost two," she argued. "Anyway, there's someone at the door for you. A boy."

"If it's not Prince William I don't care."

"Well tell him yourself." She turned to whoever was in the doorway with a half-apologetic laugh: "She's always like this on a morning. Well, afternoon, though I suppose that two pm is basically the morning when your seventeen. Jess, come and talk to your friend," she added, slipping away into the kitchen and leaving me alone to tackle the visitor in the half-awake state of irritableness that even scared Lauren.

"Fine," I muttered, stomping to the doorway. "Okay, is there anything I can - " Looking up, I realised it wasn't one of my friends. It wasn't even a neighbour. It was just someone who I barely knew and barely cared about who somehow kept walking into my life, walking a path almost as close as my shadow's. "What do you want, Edward?"

* * *

><p>And now some questions for anyone who's bored.<p>

1) Can you think of anything loose ends regarding the wolf incident which I forgot to mention in Jessica's police statement?

2) What did you think of the interaction between Jessica and her mother/brother? Were they realistic?

3) How old do you imagine Isaac to be at a first guess?


End file.
